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The mid-engine Porsche backstory

As an automaker's identity evolves over years, its signature becomes defined by any number of factors - heritage (Mercedes-Benz), image (Lamborghini), or market share (Toyota). In the case of Porsche, it was an engineering quirk that forged the German company's most enduring character trait.
Porsche would not have survived - let alone, thrived - in today's saturated landscape had it not been for the 911, and that slope-tailed sports car wouldn't have sprung to life without its predecessor, the 356. While phenomenal success of those rear-engine icons built the company, forays into the mid-engine configuration have played a significant part in establishing the brand's identity.
The Mid-Engine Prototype Of Ferry Porsche's Dreams

6 car mashups that God never intended

In the 2000s, the musical mashup genre saw a peak of popularity with releases like The Grey Album from Danger Mouse that mixed The Beatles and Jay-Z. UK artist James Pursey from Carwow decided to take the same concept of shoehorning two disparate things together but applied the concept to cars. Your opinion on the results will vary with your sense of humor. These creations are either some funny pieces of abstract art or absolute monstrosities that prove good design should be left alone. Likely the best of the bunch is the Lambotomic (pictured above), which combines a Lamborghini Miura and an Ariel Atom. Granted, the Ariel is little more than a skeleton to begin with, and the outcome looks like a slightly stretched Atom with the new nose and tail from one of the most beautiful vehicles ever. This could actually work. Though, not all of the mashups are quite so pleasant. The Porschiac WW RS (pictured right) is absolutely disgusting. It combines a Pontiac Aztek, which isn't a beauty queen to start with, and a Porsche 911 GT3 RS. Obviously, the 911 is an iconic shape in autonobolia, but that can't save it from the horror of the Aztek. Pursey fits the its nose, wheel, wing, roll cage and stripes onto the Pontiac. The outcome: A design that will show up in your nightmares. Check out the gallery for the rest of the mashups, including the Humi (a Humvee and a Mini), Aston Smartin (Aston Martin and Smart), Rangerini (Range Rover and Lamborghini Aventador) and the Mazdafenda (Mazda MX-5 Miata and Land Rover Defender). They might not all be beautiful (or even pretty), but it's fun to imagine these oddball creations actually driving down the road. Featured Gallery Car Mashups News Source: CarwowImage Credit: James Pursey Design/Style Humor Lamborghini Pontiac Porsche ariel atom lamborghini miura pontiac aztek mashup

Porsche CEO Matthias Mueller throws hat back in ring for VW CEO job

Toward the end of February it got leaked that Porsche CEO Matthias Muller was being promoted to Volkswagen's supervisory board. Muller's credentials and his success over 36 years at the VW Group have, for observers, put his name in the pool of potential candidates to succeed current group CEO Martin Winterkorn when Winterkorn retires in two years. But the 61-year-old Muller told German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung earlier in February, "It's no solution to put a 63-year-old at the head of Volkswagen," and the statement was taken to mean he wasn't considering the job. Muller now says the quote was misunderstood. In a report in Automotive News, the newly minted board member says he was commenting on what it would mean for the supervisory board and the Group if they nominated a 63-year-old to replace a 69-year-old - that it wouldn't result in a "generation change." However, if that's what they choose to do, Muller feels great: "I stand ready to take over any assignment," he said. Muller's name re-enters the candidacy pool, but we still have no idea who leads the running for the role and Winterkorn isn't saying a word. It could be three years before we know: Winterkorn's contract concludes at the end of next year but there is speculation he'll re-up for two years to see out the end of the Strategy 2018 initiative.